’Makatleho Lesaoana crowned secretary of the year

MASERU — ‘Makatleho Lesaoana, the director of secretaries at the Central Bank of Lesotho, was last month crowned Secretary of the Year.

Lesaoana succeeded ‘Mamolise Matete who was the first runner-up while Puleng Thamae and ‘Masamoe Lesenyeho was the second runners-up.

Lesaoana received a Blackberry Bold 9700 handset plus a one-year Libertie contract from Econet Telecom Lesotho.

She also received a cup engraved with her name and shopping vouchers worth M1 000.

The event, held at Maseru Sun, was organised by the Lesotho Secretaries Association in conjunction with Sun International Lesotho.

The association’s president, Limakatso Mafelesi, told the Lesotho Times the LSA was founded to help motivate secretaries to have confidence and love their job.

“Most secretaries have a low self-esteem and lack confidence in standing up for their career. The organisation seeks to create a platform for interaction and individual development,” she said.

She added: “LSA was also established to mediate in different issues affecting secretaries at their different workplaces.”

Mafelesi said although they celebrate secretaries’ day annually, “we crown the secretary of the year bi-annually to allow more time to develop and to cater for those that have winter holidays”.

Lesaoana was among 15 other secretaries who submitted an essay explaining how education affects their salaries or wages at the workplace.

“The past years, bosses of different companies were asked to write good qualities of their secretaries for the secretary of the year to be elected but since the new committee was elected in 2009, we initiated a new strategy that would break the filing and typing stereotype.

“Secretaries from different companies including government are invited to take part in the event; the association selects a general topic for secretaries to write about and the secretary that scores the most points is crowned The Secretary of the Year.

“This is to provide a learning curve for our secretaries,” she said.

Puleng Litabe, a relations administration officer with Econet Telecom Lesotho, said the telecommunications company felt obliged to assist sponsor the event because “Econet Telecom Lesotho realises the important role played by secretaries and personal assistants in the day-to-day activities of their various offices.”

“The Blackberry phone and Libertie contract is going to enable Ms Lesaoana to communicate with friends, family and colleagues.”